Taking part in consumer product research lets you share your thoughts and shape the future of products you might find on shelves someday. Your feedback is immensely valuable to brands and the research organizations collaborating with them, as it is the bedrock to generating product claims and marketing strategies that will actually resonate with consumers. We’ll take a closer look at how your participation in research translates into real world impact.
Your Feedback’s Journey: From Research to Retail
When you get involved in consumer product research, you provide insight to brands that can ultimately transform how products are presented to the world. Here's how it unfolds:
1. Gathering Insights
Your opinions, preferences, and suggestions are at the start of this journey. Consumer brands recruit volunteers like you to participate in traditional clinical trials, or other research such as consumer perception studies.
When you engage with this research and provide feedback on your experiences with a product, you're offering a glimpse into the concerns and needs of other consumers.
2. Analyzing and Synthesizing
After your participation, research teams will analyze the feedback of everyone involved in the research, identifying trends and patterns. This is when your insights are compared and contrasted with those of other participants to create a comprehensive understanding of consumer experiences with a particular formula.
3. Shaping Product Claims
With the synthesized insights in hand, product claims can start taking shape. These are the concise statements that highlight the benefits of a product, and must always be supported with some form of research evidence. Your feedback in clinical trials and consumer perception studies helps to guide the selection of key features that matter most to consumers.
4. Crafting the Message
Once the product claims are established, the research organization can work alongside a brand to create transparent and meaningful marketing messages. Together, they use their expertise to transform complex scientific data and consumer insights into clear, compelling language.
5. Testing and Refining
Often, even after product claims are initially created, a brand will pursue further research to ensure that the claims are accurate. This is becoming more important than ever, as brands are required by regulatory authorities such as the FDA and FTC to provide scientific support for their product claims. This also helps brands to stay competitive in a crowded market and means that your feedback as a research participant can help ensure the validity and authenticity of consumer product marketing.
Humanizing Data Stories
It is the job of researchers and market experts alike to craft engaging narratives from what can sometimes be a dull collection of data.
Let's dive into a concrete example to illustrate the process:
Scenario: A new Skincare Product is being tested for its efficacy as a moisturizer
You and other participants have joined a consumer perception study where you provided feedback on a new skincare product, highlighting its moisturizing effect. Your feedback consistently emphasizes how the product has transformed the texture and hydration of your skin since you started using it eight weeks ago.
In this case, your participant Insight may look something like: "My skin feels smoother and more hydrated after using the product."
Impact: The research team takes this insight and crafts a product claim that speaks directly to consumers seeking improved skin hydration: "85% of Study Participants Experienced Smoother, Hydrated Skin with Our New Moisturizing Formula."
This claim not only reflects the essence of your feedback but also addresses the common consumer desire for skin improvements. Without direct feedback from product-testers, this kind of claim would be unsupported and the brand would struggle to prove its formulas actually work.
The Lasting Effects of Volunteer Feedback
The influence of your feedback doesn't stop at product claims – it extends to marketing strategies as well. Your insights may help brands decide how to position their products within the market. Whether it's emphasizing natural ingredients, promoting eco-friendliness, or showcasing quick results, your opinions and experiences guide these strategic decisions.
Wrapping Up
As a participant in consumer brand research, you're not just a voice in the crowd – you're a crucial step in the creation of products that resonate with consumers at large. Your opinions initiate a journey that transforms complex data into relatable language, ultimately shaping the promises and messages that adorn product packaging and advertisements. So the next time you provide feedback, remember that you're not just sharing your thoughts – you're impacting the products you'll see on the shelves, and your voice truly matters.
Want to create your own product claims?
Citruslabs provides a simple and affordable way to prove that your products actually work. At Citruslabs, we design a clinical trial that is right for you and your budget, so you can start sharing research-backed product claims without spending a fortune. We offer the cohesive planning and management required to conduct successful clinical trials, from start to finish. Ready to get started? Let's talk! You can contact us here.